Chanyeol woke up to fourteen text messages and four missed calls. "You're number one Chanyeol!" Suho screamed down the phone at him. "Come home!" Chanyeol couldn't. His mum had organised a big barbeque for the evening as part of this family reunion and he had to be there. He conceded to phone interviews and promised he would drive back to the city the next morning. He spent all day made up and well dressed. He did phone interviews and a few by skype. It wasn't ideal but it was the best he could do.

When he finally emerged from his childhood room he found the house in chaos. Kids were running everywhere downstairs, most of the adults were crowded around a few huge spits outside, and of course his mum was the centre of everything. She was baking and moving salads, cutting bread and bossing everyone around. Sehun was in his position as the ideal son, his apron streaked with grease and his shirt sleeves turned up to his elbows, a beer in his hand as he came inside for a tray. "I'm going to start cutting some of the meat soon." He said and Chanyeol watched his mum glow with pride. "My single is number one." Chanyeol said from the doorway and he got a smile from his mum and no acknowledgement from his brother. That was his manner though. Chanyeol chuckled to himself as he remembered Sehun's stone faced expressions on every birthday, Christmas and other events calling for excitement. Not much made him crack a smile.

"Chanyeol. Sehun asked if he could invite Baekhyun for the barbeque and I said yes." Chanyeol's mum whispered to him in the kitchen when Sehun walked out. "I just thought I should warn you." Chanyeol instantly went cold. He should have went back to the city. 

He pretended to be nonchalant as he went back upstairs to check his appearance. He had a light layer of makeup necessary to avoid an awful shine during his interviews. He had added a little eye makeup and styled his hair up and off his forehead. He inspected himself carefully and decided he looked fine. He didn't have time to shower and start over anyway. His sweater was black cashmere and worth more than his first car. His jeans were Hilfiger and he knew no one at the barbeque would even have a clue what that was. He pushed his sleeves up so his Rolex was visible. Even an idiot could see how expensive it was. He wasn't even sure why it mattered. Who was he trying to impress?

With the crowd that had gathered he was confident he would probably be able to avoid Baekhyun anyway. The house was big and the yard was big and still it seemed like it was overflowing with people. Everyone in the family was here, people had brought people, cousins he hadn't seen for ten years were married now and he had no idea who any of the kids belonged to.

Chanyeol gathered all of his nerve and went back downstairs. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and wandered outside. He joined his Dad and a few uncles in conversation but they were discussing the politics behind Chanyeol's Dad's re-election as President of the local soccer club and Chanyeol found himself out of his element. He considered helping Sehun with the barbeque but he didn't want to get grease on his clothes. He wondered if it was too late to invite Minsoek. In a party full of his closest family Chanyeol felt totally alone. He had been gone for too long, this was no longer his world, and there was no place for him. Defeated, Chanyeol took his beer, and wandered around to the side of the house to sneak a cigarette away from the judgemental eyes of his Mum. He put the beer down, put the cigarette to his mouth, and lit it drawing deeply. Chanyeol closed his eyes as he exhaled slowly and enjoyed the rush of nicotine into his body.

"You know those are bad for you." The voice seemed to come from nowhere but when Chanyeol opened his eyes there he was. His first crush, his best friend, his soulmate. The love of his life.

Byun Baekhyun.

He didn't look a day older. It was like the last 8 years never happened. His hair was still worn a little too long and his skin glowed with the gentle magic of someone who lived a healthy relaxed lifestyle. His eyes met Chanyeol's and Chanyeol stared back mesmerised. He frantically thought of the words to say but his mind was blank. What do you say to the person who broke your heart? The person who destroyed you without a word, without a reason, without even knowing? The person who you ran away from and tried to push out of your memories?

"Hi Baekhyun. It's been a long time." He said. The obvious and easiest conversation starter. "8 years." Baekhyun replied. He moved closer to Chanyeol making the taller's heart skip a beat. For a split second Chanyeol thought he was going to move in for a hug but instead the short man just walked past him towards the back of the house. Chanyeol knew he was going to look for Sehun. 

"Wait." He said impulsively and Baekhyun turned back towards him. Chanyeol had been so nervous to see him, he had desperately wanted to avoid Baekhyun, but now that he was right here in front of him he wanted him to stay. "Cant we at least talk for a bit?" The desperation in his voice surprised Chanyeol but Baekhyun just turned to him with tears glittering in his eyes. "Talk? What is there to say? You leave without saying goodbye and then just turn up 8 years later? And I have to find out from Minsoek that you're here in town?" Chanyeol could see the hurt and the pain behind the sparkling dark irises that had haunted him the last 8 years. "I'm sorry. Ok? Im sorry for everything." Baekhyun sighed. "Yeah well I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that ive had to spend the last 8 years reading about your amazing life. Travelling all over the world, hit songs, handsome actor boyfriend and money to burn. While I've been stuck here with my life slowly falling apart. And it all started the day my best friend abandoned me." He turned again and began to walk away.

Chanyeol reached out and grabbed Baekhyun's hand. It was small and delicate in his own thick calloused fingers. His skin was soft and white and Chanyeol could see the soil under his nails, the remnants of a hard day's work, the telltale sign of his changed life. He stared down at the hand inside his and his mind wandered back to a time when he never thought he would have to let go.

——-

"I'm scared." Chanyeol whispered. They were lined up on the bridge with the other boys who were all taking it in turns to jump off and into the river. The water level had dropped and it was higher than it looked from the riverbank. All the other boys were looking at them and Chanyeol knew he had to do it or he would never live it down.

His breathing quickened and his chest heaved when he suddenly felt warmth. He looked down to see Baekhyun's hand in his. "We'll jump together. Just hold on to me and don't let go and everything will be fine." Baekhyun squeezed Chanyeol's hand tight and Chanyeol relaxed. He believed his words. As long as they had each other everthing would be fine. "One. Two. Three..." Baekhyun whispered and they jumped. Water rushed up to meet them, filling Chanyeol's eyes with darkness and his nose with the burning sensation of suffocation, but when his head finally broke the surface Baekhyun had kept his word. He hadn't let go and everything was alright. They did it.

——-

Chanyeol stared at Baekhyun's hand in his and the other finally pulled away. "I have to go see Sehun." Baekhyun said as he turned and walked away. The last time it was Chanyeol walking away from him, and now the tables had turned, and Chanyeol could only watch as his true love walked away from him and into the arms of his brother.